Top 28 Third-party Quality Inspection Service Agencies and Companies in China

Quality inspection is crucial when importing products from China and Asia, regardless of the order volume. Without effective quality inspection, there is a significant risk of receiving substandard or defective products.

A professional third-party inspection company can effectively help you reduce risks, avoid shipping delays, reduce return rates and so on. They can conduct thorough inspections at different stages of production, including pre-production, in-process, and pre-shipment inspections.

In the article, we will list the top 28 third-party inspection service companies in China and outline a comprehensive guide covering profile, network, cost, industries, and types of inspections.

Listed Companies:

1. GIS Inspection (General Inspection Services)

General Inspection Service-GIS is an international third-party quality control inspection company headquartered in China in 2005. GIS Inspection provides a comprehensive range of product quality inspection and factory audit services to clients across multiple industries.

GIS has set up an inspection network covering China, Vietnam, India, Malaysia and other Asia countries. GIS’s long-term partners include SEB, BiliBili, Eurogroup, Play Core along with a diverse portfolio of international retailers, manufacturers, and supply chain companies.

Services:

• Quality Inspection
• Factory Audit
• E-commerce Quality Control

Industries:

• Electronics Products
• Soft Goods
• Hard Goods
• Mechanical Products
• Chemical Products
• Food
• Agriculture Products

Advantages:

GIS Inspection employs only full-time, professionally trained inspectors to ensure the highest level of consistency, reliability, and integrity in all quality control operations.

Inspection rates start from $150, which is slightly lower than many of GIS’s competitors.

2. SGS

SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. SGS has set a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of 99,500 dedicated professionals.

With over 145 years of service excellence, SGS combines the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability.

Services:

• Testing,
• Inspection,
• Certification,
• Consulting,
• Training,
• Verification & Assurance

Industries:

• Agriculture & Forestry
• Building & Infrastructure
• Consumer Products & Retail
• Cosmetics & Personal Care
• Cybersecurity & Technology
• Environmental, Health & Safety
• Food
• Government & Trade Facilitation
• Industrial Manufacturing & Processing
• MedTech
• Mining
• Oil, Gas & Chemicals
• Pharma
• Power & Utilities
• Transportation

3. TÜV Rheinland

TÜV Rheinland was founded in 1872. TÜV Rheinland is one of the world's leading providers of testing and inspection services, with annual revenues of over 2.7 billion euros and approximately 27,000 employees in more than 50 countries.

Its highly qualified experts test technical systems and products, enable innovation, and assist companies in their transition toward greater sustainability. They train professionals across numerous fields and certify management systems to international standards.

As an independent, neutral and professional organization, TÜV Rheinland is committed to working towards a future that can fulfil the needs of both mankind and the environment in the long term.

Services:

Testing & Assessment

Certification & Auditing

Training & Qualification

Inspection & Supervision

Consulting & Project Management

Industries:

Traffic, Vehicles & Rail

Commodities & Consumer Goods

Industry & Infrastructure

Systems & Processes

Organizations & Individuals

Occupational Health & Safety

Information Security & Telecommunications

4. TÜV SÜD

TÜV SÜD was founded in 1866, 22 industrialists responded to a steam boiler accident at a brewery by setting up a steam boiler inspection association in Mannheim, Germany. This was one of the world’s first inspection associations and became the forerunner to today’s TÜV SÜD.

Now, there are around 30,000 employees in over 1,000 locations, which make TÜV SÜD uniquely positioned to unleash the possibilities of your business.

Services:

Auditing

Inspection

Management System Certification

Product Certification

Technical Advisory

Testing

Training

Industries:

Automotive

Building and Construction

Chemical Processing

Consumer Products and Retail

Energy

Manufacturing

Medical Devices

Rail

5. Intertek

The Intertek begins at the start of the modern testing industry in the late 19th Century. During this period three pioneering businesses in the UK, Canada and North America combined to build the foundation of Intertek, driving its growth around the world.

With over 40,000 employees in over 1,000 locations in 100 countries, network of science-based, highly technically skilled individuals and teams enable global and local businesses to overcome the complex quality, safety and sustainability challenges they face, every day.

Services

Assurance

Testing

Inspection

Certification

Industries

Chemicals

Construction & Engineering

Energy & Commodities

Food & Healthcare

Hospitality Assurance Solutions

Government & Trade

Products & Retail

Transportation

6. Eurofins

Eurofins Scientific through its subsidiaries is a world leader in food, environment, pharmaceutical and cosmetic product testing, discovery pharmacology, forensics, advanced material sciences, and in agroscience Contract Research services.

It is also one of the global independent market leaders in genomics and in the support of clinical studies, as well as in BioPharma Contract Development and Manufacturing.

Eurofins has set up over 65,000 staff across a network of independent companies in 60 countries and operating over 950 laboratories. Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 200,000 analytical methods for evaluating the safety, identity, composition, authenticity, origin and purity of biological substances and products, as well as for innovative clinical diagnostics.

Services:

Agroscience Services

Agro Testing

Assurance

BioPharma Services

Clinical Diagnostics

Consumer Product Testing

Cosmetics & Personal Care

Electrical & Electronics

Environment Testing

Food and Feed Testing

Forensic Services

Genomic Services

In Vitro Diagnostics Solutions

Maritime Services

Materials and Engineering

PSS Insourcing Solutions ®

REACH Services

Sensory and Consumer Research

Sustainability Services

7. UL

UL was founded in 1894. It is a global leader in applied safety science. UL Solutions transforms safety, security and sustainability challenges into opportunities for customers in more than 110 countries.

UL certification Marks serve as a recognized symbol of trust in our customers’ products and reflect an unwavering commitment to advancing our safety mission.

UL has set up a network of 15000+ employees in 40+countries around the world.

Services:

Advisory

Auditing and inspection

Certification

Testing

Learning and development

Verification

Industries:

Automotive and mobility

Building technologies and construction

Energy and utilities

Financial and investment services

Government services

Health and life sciences

Industrial products and systems

Life safety and security

Chemicals and materials

Products and components

Retail Ecosystem

Technology and electronics

8. Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas is a French company founded in 1828. Bureau Veritas is a world leader in laboratory testing, inspection and certification services. BV has more than 84,000 employees located in more than 1,600 offices and laboratories in 140 countries around the globe.

Bureau Veritas helps its clients improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility.

Services:

ESG Corporate

Carbon and Climate

Supply Chain

Product Circularity

Industries:

Clarity by Bureau Veritas

Agri-Food

Automotive & Transport

Buildings & Infrastructure

Consumer products & retail

Cybersecurity

Commodities

Cross-Market Services

Marine & Offshore

Oil & Gas

Power & Utilities

9. DEKRA

The DEKRA was founded in 1925 in Berlin. DEKRA has been committed to ensuring people’s safety in all of life’s situations.

By the end of 2023, DEKRA had around 48,800 people in its employment in some 60 countries on five different continents. The Company carried out around 32 million vehicle inspections globally. The Company carried out around 32 million vehicle inspections globally.

DEKRA’s service portfolio is bundled into the following Service Divisions: Vehicle Inspection

Services

Vehicle Inspection

Audit

Claims & Expertise

Consulting

Digital & Product Solutions

Industrial Inspection

Temp Work

Training

Industries

Automotive Mobility

Construction and Real Estate

Energy and Utilities

Financial Services

Information and Communication Technology

Manufacturing Industry

Medical & Chemical

Paper, Agriculture and Forestry Industry

Retail and Wholesale

Transportation

10. Cotecna

Cotecna was founded in Switzerland in 1974. Cotecna is a leading provider of testing, inspection and certification services. Cotecna offers solutions to facilitate trade and make supply chains safer and more efficient for our clients.

Cotecna comprises over 6,000 employees worldwide, operating across more than 50 countries.

Services and Industries:

Agriculture

Certification

ESG Solutions

Consumer Products

Minerals & Metals

Food

Pharmaceutical

Verification of Conformity

11. Pro QC

Pro QC International was funded in Taipei, China in 1984. It is a global provider of quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) solutions, offering product inspections, factory audits, and supplier management services across a wide range of industries.

Pro QC operates in more than 100 countries and regions worldwide.

Services:

Product Quality

Factory & Supplier Audits

Management System Audits

Industries:

Softlines

Hardlines

Industrial Solutions

Medical & Healthcare

Transportation

12. Tetra Inspection

Tetra Inspection was funded in Hong Kong, China in2014. Tetra Inspection has set up network of over 350 inspectors and auditors operating across roughly 40 countries spanning Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Services:

Product Inspection

Supplier Audit Services

Amazon FBA Inspection

Pre-Customs Clearance Inspection

SASO Certificate

Inspection Subscription Plans

Industries:

Hardlines

Electronics

Toys

Softlines

13. Sofest

Sofeast was founded in 2006. It is a Western-owned quality assurance, project management, and product engineering agency headquartered in Hong Kong, China. Sofeast deploys a staff of over 200 technical and auditing professionals across Asia and beyond, offering services across China, India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Southeast Asia, and many other sourcing regions.

Services:

Supply Chain Management

Product Engineering

Quality Assurance

14. CCIC

China Certification ＆ Inspection Group (CCIC) is a State-owned mega group providing inspection, verification, certification and testing services, founded with approval by China’s State Council as well as registered by the State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC).

With more than 20,000 employees working at nearly 400 branches/sub-branches, CCIC’s business network covers major ports, cities and trade centers in over 20 countries and regions, powered by about 300 self-owned and cooperative labs.

Services and Industries:

Agricultural Food and Traceability Service

Service for CIIE

Household Appliance

Consumable Electronic Product

Automobile

Consuming Product Inspection

Medical Device

15. AQI Service

AQI Service was established in 2004 and is headquartered in Dongguan, Guangdong, China.

With a team of more than 60 active quality inspectors, AQI Service maintains a broad QC/QA network across China and multiple Asian countries (including Vietnam, Thailand, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia, Cambodia, Turkey, Myanmar, Indonesia, Laos, among others).

Services:

Product Inspection

Factory Audit

Product testing

Industries:

Softline

Hardline

Electrial & Electronics

Machinery & Equipment

16. CTI

Centre Testing International Group Co., Ltd. (CTI) was established in Shenzhen, China in 2003. It is China’s leading independent third-party testing, inspection & certification company and the first to publicly listed.

As a market leader, adhering to the core values of "Integrity, Collaboration & Team Advancement, Lean, Innovation, and Client Centricity", CTI supports clients as a one-stop solution for testing, inspection, certification, calibration, audit, training & technical services.

CTI are diversified across a range of industries and product categories, with more than 13,000 employees operating a network of about 160 laboratories and more than 260 offices in over 90 cities around the world.

Services:

Testing

Certification

Inspection

Training

Audit & Assessment

Metrology & Calibration

Correlation Test Authority & Reference Materia

Industries:

Softline

Toys & hardgoods,

Electronic & electrical appliances,

Pharma and clinical,

Agriculture and food,

Cosmetics & daily chemical products,

Petrochemicals,

Environment & sustainability,

Building materials & construction works,

Industrial equipment & manufacturing,

Rail transit,

Automotive & aviation materials,

Chips and semiconductors

17. CIS China Inspection Service

China Inspection Service (CIS) was founded in Hong Kong and operates inspection and audit offices in Shenzhen and Dongguan, China. CIS provides a full suite of factory audit, product inspection, and quality control services for global importers sourcing from China.

Inspection rates start at US$258 per man-day!

Services:

Initial Production Check (lPC)

During Production inspection (DUPRO)

Production Monitoring (PM)

Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSl)

Container Loading Supervision(CLS)

Factory Audit (FA)

IS09000 Quality System Audit

Social Compliance Audit

18. AmSpec

AmSpec Group was founded in 1986 headquartered in Cranbury, New Jersey, USA. It is a global provider of testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) services

AmSpec offers truly global coverage in inspection, testing, and certification, operating a vast network of hundreds of laboratories and inspection facilities across more than 60 countries. AmSpec offers independent, accurate analysis and inspection of various commodities.

Services:

Testing

Inspection

Certification

Industries:

Additives

Agriculture

Chemicals

Consumer Products

Energy

Infrastructure

Marine Services

Metals & Minerals

19. Vicc

ViCC was founded in 2007, headquartered Beijing, China. VICC has an extensive network, with 30 branch offices covering all over China, Asia, Russia, and European countries, and a team of over 1,500 skilled engineers and inspectors.

Product inspections and factory audits rate typically start at $198 per man-day, which is often an all-inclusive rate for covered areas.

Services:

Inspection

Audit & Assessment

Lab Testing

Expediting

Sorting & Technical Rework

Engineering Support

Logistics Support

Certification & Consultation

Supply Chain Management

Industries:

Automobile industry

Mechanical & Machine

Oil & Gas Field

Railway Industry

Electronic Equipments &

Electrical Products

Home Appliance & BuildingMaterial

Textile & Leather

Other Industries

20. VIS Quality Control

VIS (Vietnam Inspection & Testing Service Company Limited) was founded in 2009. It is a trusted third-party provider specializing in Testing, Inspection, Certification (TIC), and Auditing services.

Headquartered in Hanoi with additional offices in Ho Chi Minh City, China, Cambodia, and Singapore, VIS has successfully grown into a regional leader in quality assurance and compliance solutions. The company is backed by a dedicated team of over 100 professional staff.

Services:

Testing Services

Inspection Services

VR Certification

ITC Certification

CR Certification

Factory audit

Industries:

Consumer Product and Retail

Food And Agriculture

Industrial Products

21. Global Inspection Managing

Global Inspection Managing (GIM) is a third-party quality service organization dedicated to helping businesses worldwide reach their full potential and maintain high quality control standards throughout the production process.

Global Inspection Managing base in Hong Kong, China and with 128 employees from all over the world, GIM operates a global service network covering Asia, Europe, and other regions.

The Inspection fee starts from 269 person per day!

Services:

Inspection Services

Audit Services

Lab Testing and Certifications

Industries:

Softline

Hardlines

Food

Raw material

22. QGS

QGS was founded in Guangzhou, China in 2003. QGS has 7 branch offices in China, located in Guangzhou, Ningbo, Shanghai, Tianjin, Suzhou, Qingdao, Xiamen, which covered the mainly manufacturing bases in China. QGS has over 280 professional inspectors and auditors.

Services:

Quality Control

Supplier Evaluation

Industries:

Electrical & Electronic Products

Hardline Products

Softline Products

Industrial Products

23. Applus+

APPlus+ was funded in Spain. Applus+ is a worldwide leader in the testing, inspection and certification sector.  Applus+ operates in more than 65 countries on five continents, employing over 25,000 professionals globally.

APPlus+ offer a complete portfolio of solutions that address a range of needs, from asset integrity management to statutory compliance-based inspections. They place a strong emphasis on technological development, digitalization and innovation, as well as having the latest knowledge of regulatory requirements.

Services and Industries:

Aerospace & defense

Automotive product development

Certification

Connectivity & products

Government & public organizations

Infrastructure and buildings

Oil and gas

Power

Renewables

Vehicle inspection

Cross market services

Sustainability solutions

24. AQF

Services:

Industries:

25. Insight Quality Services

Insight Quality Services was founded in 2014. Insight Quality Services is headquartered in Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and services in 32 countries. Insight Quality’s clients spread across North America and Europe. They operate in US manufacturing as well as in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Yiwu, and Qingdao.

Services:

Product Inspection

Factory Audit

Lab Testing

Training & Consulting

Correct & Rework

Industries:

Hardlines

Softlines

26. TradeAider

TradeAider was founded in 2010 in Hangzhou, China. It is one of Amazon's SPN (Service Provider Network) for quality control, alongside industry giants like SGS, ITS, and TUV.

Services:

Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSl/FRI)

During Production Inspection(DPI/DUPRO)

Pre-Production Inspection (PPl)

Factory Audit

Container Loading Supervision(CLI/CLS)

Total Quality Control Services(TQC/TQM)

Amazon FBA Inspection Solutions

Industries:

Hardline Products

Softline Products

Electrical & Electronic Products

Industrial Products

27. ECQA

ECQA was founded in 2017 in Shanghai, China. Network covers China, South East Asia (Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar), South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Pakistan), Africa (Kenya, Egypt), Turkey, as well as major hubs across Europe and the Americas.

Services:

Inspection

Testing & Certificate

Sourcing

Industries:

Consumer Goods

Industrial & Automotive

Health & Personal Care

28. NBNQC

NBNQC has 80 experienced inspectors and auditors based in key manufacturing regions throughout China, NBNQC offers fast and flexible service coverage nationwide.

Inspection rate starts from $198/man-day.

Services:

Pre-Shipment Inspection

During Production Inspection

Initial Production Check

Full Inspection

Container Loading Supervision

Manufacturing Audit

Social Audit

Industries:

Softlines

Hardlines

Consumer goods

Machinery 

FAQs

Q1: How much does an inspection cost in China?

The China inspection service rates range from $150 to $320 per man-day which simply means you’ll be looking to pay this rate per product quality inspector per day.

Q2: How to Choose the Right Inspection Company?

• Industry Expertise
• Service Scope
• Pricing and Value
• Communication and Customer Support
• Certifications and Accreditations

Q3: How Many Pieces to Inspect?

The number of units inspected depends on the agreement with the inspection provider, the inspection type, and your quality requirements.

Inspection services typically use a sampling plan to determine the number of units to check from the production lot.

Common sampling plans include:

• AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit) Sampling: A standard method where a random sample is inspected based on AQL levels, which range from strict to lenient, determining sample size.
• Random Sampling: A representative sample is randomly selected from the production lot for quality evaluation.
• 100% Inspection: For high-value or critical products, buyers may opt for a full inspection, checking every unit in the lot.

Q4: What are the types of product quality inspection?

Q5: How To Work with an Inspection Company in China？

• Choose a China Inspection Agent that Understands Your Specifications and Standards;
• Make Sure the People Working in the Factory Know What You Can’t Accept;
• Develop a Proper Inspection Plan;
• Agree on Who Should Pay and How Much;
• Provide Feedback on the QC Report;
•        Remain Firm on Quality Standards.